Strobing camera system and method

Abstract: The system comprises a time-delay and integration camera assembly (A) mounted to view a rotating or other cyclically moving object (B). A lens (30) focuses light from a field of view (10) onto an array (32) of light sensitive elements having N lines of elements. A tachometer (50) monitors rotation of the rotating object and a timing control (54) causes a light sensitive array control (34) to start stepping lines of data through the lines of light sensitive elements toward a shift register (36) as a leading edge (20) of a region of interest (12) enters the field of view. Each time the region of interest moves 1/Nth of the way across the field of view, the lines of data are stepped another time along the lines of light sensitive elements. Digital video signals are sorted (74) among a plurality of image memories (76₁, 76₂, ..., 76 M ) each image memory corresponding to a corresponding region of interest (12₁,12₂, ..., 12 M ). Scan converters (80) convert the frame image representations in the image memories into a series of human-readable displays. In this manner, the image memory corresponding to each region of interest is updated with each revolution of the object (B) to produce a cinematic video strobe image in a constantly illuminated environment.

Description: This invention relates to strobing camera systems and methods. Heretofore, strobe lights have commonly been used for cyclically moving, and randomly moving objects or structure. Typically, the strobe light includes a high intensity light source which is pulsed very rapidly, typically 10-15 microsecond pulses. The high intensity light is flashed synchronously with the rotation of the object to be examined. This causes the same portion of the object to be illuminated in each rotation or cycle. Because only the same portion of the object is repeatedly illuminated in every revolution or cycle, the viewer, whether the human eye or an opto-electrical device or photographic film, "sees" the same portion of the object in each rotation or cycle as if it were standing still. The use of strobe lights had several drawbacks. First, the strobe lights required high intensity, 10-15 microsecond light pulses. Few light sources could produce such short pulses. Second, photographic cameras were generally required for making permanent records. Third, because strobe lights tended to interfere with each other, only one could be utilized ata time in a given area. Moreover, strobe lights were not conducive to use with video cameras. A lack of synchronization between the vertical refresh rate and the strobe light led to dark banding and other artifacts in a video image. It is an object of the present invention to provide a strobing camera system and method which overcomes the above-referenced problems. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a strobing camera system for monitoring a cyclically moving object having a region of interest which periodically sweeps through a field of view comprising: a lens for focusing light from the field of view onto a light sensitive element array of a time-delay and integration camera, the array having a plurality of lines of light sensitive elements, which lines are orientated perpendicular to the direction of movement of the image of the region of interest across the array; light sensitive element control means for shifting lines of data produced by the array through the lines of light sensitive elements of the light sensitive element array; synchronizing means for monitoring movement of the object to be examined and for causing the light sensitive element control means to shift the lines of data in synchronism with the sweeping of the region of interest through said field of view; and means for utilising the lines of data from the sensitive element array to produce an image of the region of interest each time the region of interest sweeps through the field of view, so that the region of interest appears to be stationary in the image. A system according to the invention will typically include a video processing means for converting the lines of data from the light sensitive element array into analog video signals, and may further include an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog video signals into digital video signals. In one particular system according to the invention the object rotates about an axis and the synchronizing means includes a rotation monitoring means for producing signals indicating each time said preselected portion of the object reaches the field of view, the synchronization means causing the control means to stop the stepping of lines of data when said preselected portion exits the field of view. In one such system the object includes at least first and second predetermined portions, the first and second portions each sweeping periodically through the field of view, and the synchronizing means causing the control means to start to step the lines of data through the lines of light sensitive elements as each portion sweeps into the field of view. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a strobing method comprising: focusing light from a field of view onto a light sensitive element array of a time-delay and integration camera means; orienting the time-delay and integration camera means such that the light sensitive element array has lines of light sensitive elements parallel to an axis of rotation of a cyclically moving object; at a selected angular position of the object, initiating operation of the time-delay and integration camera means such that lines of data are shifted through the lines of light sensitive elements in synchronism with rotation of a region of said object of interest until the region of interest has swept through the field of view such that the time-delay and integration camera means generates a video image of the region of interest in each rotation, so that the region of interest appears to stand stationary in the video image. One advantage of the present invention is that it is usable under slowly pulsed, oscillating, or constant illumination. Another advantage of the present invention is that it produces a video format signal which is readily stored, edited, or further processed. Another advantage of the present invention is that it is ideally suited for monitoring rotating constructions. For example, the present invention is amenable to monitoring a multi-vial centrifuge to monitor each vial as it moves past, to monitor rotating machinery, and the like. Several strobing camera systems and methods in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the camera system; Figure 2 is a timing diagram which illustrates the clocking or timed control of a TDI camera forming part of the system of Figure 1; and, Figure 3 is a detailed illustration of a variation of the camera system of Figure 1. Referring to Figure 1, a time-delay and integration (TDI) camera means A converts light received from a field of view 10 into a corresponding electronic video signal. A viewed object B rotates or undergoes other periodic motion with an angular velocity ω. A timing and control means C coordinates the shifting of lines or rows of data along the TDI camera means A with the rotation of the object B to be viewed such that the same region of interest 12 is viewed in each rotation. In particular, the timing and control means C actuates the TDI camera means A with the appropriate periodicity and for the appropriate duration to generate a video image of the region of interest each time it enters the field of view 10. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the timing and control means C monitors the movement of the object B to be viewed to define a wait interval 14, a ramp up interval 16, and a view interval 18. The wait interval 14 corresponds to the duration which the region of interest needs to rotate around and return to the field of view 10. The ramp up period 16 provides a duration for clearing the image sensor of image data which does not correspond to the field of view of interest. For example, with a 244 line image chip, the image chip may be actuated as a leading edge 20 of the region of interest reaches the edge 22 of the field of view 10. The first 244 lines of data are discarded during the ramp up period. 244 lines after the leading edge 20 of the region of interest passes field of view edge 22, the view interval 18 commences. The leading edge 20 of the region of interest 12, having been integrated over 244 samplings, is read out as a first line of the video data. For a 244 line video image, the view interval 18 is preferably 244 lines long. The timing and control means is coordinated with the rotation of the object such that a trailing edge 24 of the region of interest reaches edge 26 at the other end of the field of view as the 244th line of data is clocked from the TDI camera means. For a 244 line image, 244 lines of data are sampled at even intervals in the time duration between the leading edge 20 of the region of interest reaching edge 22 of the TDI sensor's field of view 10 and the trailing edge 24 of the region of interest reaching the other edge 26 of the field of view. Images with more or fewer lines of data may be generated analogously for better resolution or higher speed. Optionally, supplemental illumination may be provided from the time the leading edge reaches the field of view until the trailing edge clears the field of view. With reference to Figure 3, the rotating construction B is a centrifuge which includes M vials spaced at even angular intervals 360/M° apart. Each of the vials constitutes a region of interest. In this manner, there are M regions of interest 12 1 , 12 2 , ... 12 M spaced at even angular increments on the rotating construction. A lens assembly 30 focuses light from the field of view 10 defined by field of view edges 22, 26 onto an image sensor 32. The image sensor preferably includes a plurality of CCD or other light sensitive elements arranged in a regular rectangular array having N lines of light sensitive elements. In one embodiment, the light sensitive array includes a conventional RS-170 CCD array which has 244 lines or rows of light sensitive elements with 600 elements per line, i.e. N=244. For higher resolution, larger CCD arrays may be provided. The rows or lines are oriented parallel to an axis of rotation of the regions of interest, i.e. perpendicular to the direction of movement of the vials through the field of view. In this manner, as a line at the leading edge 20 of a region of interest sweeps between field of view edges 22, 26, the lens scans the leading edge progressively to each line of CCD elements starting at the viewer's left of array 32 and shifting to the right, as oriented in FIGURE 3. For an N=244 line sensor, data is clocked one line along the CCD array each time the leading edge 20 of the region of interest (or other preselected portion of the object) moves 1/Nth, i.e. 1/244th, of the way between the edges 22, 26 of the field of view. In this manner, a 244 line video image frame of each of the regions of interest 12 1 , 12 2 , ..., 12 M are generated in each rotation. By displaying these frames serially, a time progression "motion picture" of each region of interest is generated. To generate higher resolution video images of each region of interest, the field of view 10 is contracted to, for example, half the arc spanned by one of the vials. 2N, e.g. 488 lines are read from the CCD sensor 32 to generate each video image frame. The resolution can be adjusted by other integer and fractional multiples of the N lines. Analogously, the size of the region of interest can be adjusted without adjusting the resolution by collecting more or fewer lines per frame with the same timing. Preferably, the image sensor 32 is a color sensor. That is, the sensor has three CCD elements for each pixel of the resultant image. Prisms, filters, or the like render each element corresponding to the same pixel sensitive to only one of red, green, or blue light (for an RGB monitor). Other triadic color schemes may, of course, be used. As yet another option, additional CCD elements may be provided corresponding to each pixel. The additional elements may have a phosphor, or the like, which is responsive to invisible wavelengths of radiation, such as ultraviolet, infrared, x-ray, and the like. In this manner, color, infrared, and UV images of each of the views of interest can be acquired simultaneously. A pulsed illumination source may be provided to increase the illumination intensity during imaging. A control means 34 controls the shifting of the rows or lines of data along the sensor array 32 as described above. A shift register 36 receives each line of data as it is clocked out of the sensor array 32. The shift register is clocked at a rate faster than the sensor array 32 to serialize each line of data. For example, for a sensor array which has 600 elements per line, the shift register is clocked 600 times between each time the sensor array 32 is clocked. In this manner, the output of the shift register is a multiplicity of lines of serialized video data which when taken together, represent an image. The output of the shift register 36 is conveyed to an amplifier 40 which amplifies the analog output of the shift register. A video processing channel 42 further processes the video signal with a bandpass filter for removing any vestiges of the clock signal noise, a gain amplifier, a clamping means for restoring DC video, and the like. A synchronization means 44 adds blanking signals at the end of each line of data. In the TDI mode, no frame or "vertical" retrace synchronization signals are required. The output signal is a continuous image which may be displayed on a single monitor having sufficient lines of resolution or which may be subdivided into appropriate frames at a later point in the processing. Suitable TDI imaging means for use in the present invention are found in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,040,057; 4,949,172, and 4,922,337 which relate to quality control and monitoring of continuous material processes. The timing and control means C includes a synchronization means 50 such as a tachometer which generates tachometer pulses for identifying the leading edge of each of the regions of interest. The synchronization means can also sense directly the movement of each vial 12 into the field of view, e.g. a mechanically actuated switch. A pulse shaping means 52 shapes the pulses to an appropriate shape for further circuitry. An interface means 54 interfaces between the pulses from the tachometer and the control means 34. Various interface means may be provided. For example, the interface means may include a counter which starts an imaging cycle after each preselected number of tachometer pulses. Various other dividers, gates, and the like may also be provided. Particularly for a construction which is rotating at a constant speed, the TDI pick up assembly A may be clocked periodically. An adjustable timer or clock means 56 can be used to trigger the beginning of each image. A switch means 58 enables either the adjustable timer 56 or the tachometer 50 to be selected. For optional added illumination, a light source timing means 60 such as a pulse shaper which produces a comparable duration pulse, turns on an illumination source 62 from the time the leading edge 20 enters the field of view until the trailing edge 24 clears the field of view. A pulse of about 10 milliseconds is preferred for typical applications. A pulse which is longer than the imaging period does not degrade the resultant image. As indicated above, the first series of lines from the sensor array 32 are preferably discarded. To this end, a delay means 64 is provided. From the above discussed 244 line preferred embodiment of the sensor array 32, the delay means corresponds to the time required to clock the first 244 lines from the sensor array. The delay means is connected with a video processor inhibiting means 66 for inhibiting video processor 42 from processing the first N lines of data, 244 in the preferred embodiment. Optionally, other techniques may be utilized for causing the first 244 lines of data from the sensor array 32 to be discarded. A digital processing and memory means D stores processes and generates displays of all or a portion of each of the regions of interest. An analog video output 68 enables the output of the TDI camera means A to be displayed directly. An analog-to-digital converter 70 digitizes each line of video data from the TDI camera means A. The digital video signal can be displayed directly on a digital video output 72. A sorting means 74 gated by the timing and control means C causes the lines of video data corresponding to each of the regions of interest 12 1 , 12 2 , ..., 12 M to be stored in corresponding ones of frame image memories 76 1 , 76 2 ,..., 76 M . A memory retrieval means 78 selectively causes the video image frames stored in the image memories to be retrieved. A scan converter 80 or a plurality of scan converters 80 1 , 80 2 ,..., 80 M are provided for converting each image from a corresponding one of the image memories to be converted to the appropriate format for display on a video monitor 82 or series of video monitors 82 1 , 82 2 , ..., 82 M . The scan converter 80 causes the corresponding video monitor to receive the frame images stored in the corresponding video memory 76 a plurality of times as dictated by the refresh rate of the video monitor. Once per revolution of the rotating construction B, the image frame in the image memory is updated. In this manner, each of the video monitors displays the contents of each of the M vials and is updated once per revolution.

Claims: A strobing camera system for monitoring a cyclically moving object (B) having a region of interest (12) which periodically sweeps through a field of view comprising: a lens (30) for focusing light from the field of view (10) onto a light sensitive element array (32) of a time-delay and integration camera (A), the array having a plurality of lines of li ht sensitive elements, which lines are orientated perpendicular to the direction of movement of the image of the region of interest across the array; light sensitive element control means (34) for shifting lines of data produced by the array (32) through the lines of light sensitive elements of the light sensitive element array (32); synchronizing means (C) for monitoring movement of the object (B) to be examined and for causing the light sensitive element control means (34) to shift the lines of data in synchronism with the sweeping of the region of interest (12) through said field of view (10); and means (A,D) for utilising the lines of data from the sensitive element array (32) to produce an image of the region of interest each time the region of interest sweeps through the field of view, so that the region of interest appears to be stationary in the image. A system according to Claim 1 wherein the object (B) rotates about an axis and the synchronizing means (C) includes a rotation monitoring means (50) for producing signals indicating each time said region of interest (12) of the object (B) reaches the field of view (10), the synchronization means (C) causing the control means (34) to stop the shifting of lines of data when said region of interest (12) exits the field of view (10). A system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 further including a video processing means (42) for converting the lines of data from the light sensitive element array (32) into analog video signals. A system according to Claim 3 further including an analog-to-digital converter (70) for converting the analog video signals into digital video signals. A system according to Claim 2 wherein the object (B) includes at least first and second regions of interest (12 1 , 12 2 ), the first and second regions (12 1 , 12 2 ) each sweeping periodically through the field of view (10), and the synchronizing means (C) causing the control means (34) to start to shift the lines of data through the lines of light sensitive elements as each region (12 1 , 12 2 ) sweeps into the field of view (10). A system according to Claim 5 further including a sorting means (74) controlled by the synchronizing means (C) for sorting output signals corresponding to the first region (12 1 ) into a first image memory (76 1 ) and output signals corresponding to the second region (12 2 ) into a second image memory (76 2 ). A system according to Claim 6 further including a scan converter means (80 1 , 80 2 ) for use in converting the image data in the first and second image memories (76 1 , 76 2 ) into human-readable displays. A system according to any preceding claim wherein the synchronizing means (C) includes an adjustable timer (56) for causing the light sensitive element control means (34) to start and stop the shifting of lines of data at adjustable intervals. A system according to any preceding claim wherein said means (A, D) for producing an image includes a shift register (36) into which each line of data is shifted after having been shifted through each of the lines of light sensitive elements, the control means (34) clocking the shift register (36) at a sufficiently high rate that all data of the data line in the shift register (36) are clocked out serially before a next line of data is clocked into the shift register (36). A system according to any preceding claim including: an illumination means (62) for selectively illuminating said region(s) of interest (12 1 , 12 2 , etc) in the field of view (10); and an illumination control means (60) for controlling the illumination means (62) such that the or each region of interest is illuminated for a duration during which that region (12 1 , 12 12 , etc.) is in the field of view (10). A system according to any preceding claim wherein the light sensitive array (32) is a CCD array which has N lines of CCD elements, and the synchronizing means (C) causes the control means (34) to shift the lines of data by one line of CCD elements each time a region of interest (12 1 , 12 2 , etc.) moves (1/N)th of the way across the field of view (10). A system according to Claim 11 wherein the synchronizing means (C) discards the first N lines of data and stores the (N+1)th and subsequent lines of data in an image memory means (76). A strobing method comprising: focusing light from a field of view (10) onto a light sensitive element array (32) of a time-delay and integration camera means (A); orienting the time-delay and integration camera means (A) such that the light sensitive element array (32) has lines of light sensitive elements parallel to an axis of rotation of a cyclically moving object (B); at a selected angular position of the object (B), initiating operation of the time-delay and integration camera means (A) such that lines of data are shifted through the lines of light sensitive elements in synchronism with rotation of a region of interest (12) of said object (B) until the region of interest (12) has swept through the field of view (10) such that the time-delay and integration camera means (A) generates a video image of the region of interest (12) in each rotation, so that the region of interest (12) appears to stand stationary in the video image. A method according to Claim 13, further including controlling starting of the shifting of lines of data at a time interval depending on the speed of rotation of the object (B) so that the region of interest (12) appears to stand stationary in the video image with said object (B) rotating at constant speed A method according to Claim 13 or Claim 14 wherein the light sensitive element array (32) has N lines of light sensitive elements and wherein the first N lines of data are discarded. A method according to Claim 15 wherein the (N+1)th through (2N)th lines of data are converted into a frame of an image representation.

Inventors: CASTRO PETER S, GILBLOM DAVID L, CASTRO, PETER S., GILBLOM, DAVID L.
Applicants: PICKER INT INC, PICKER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: H04N7
IPC codes: H04N7, H04N5